Always There
by Calie1
Summary: She couldn't be alone now. If he was gone she couldn't handle it. One Shot.


She sighed, more to herself then him, but she knew he would pick up on it.

"What?"

"Nothing." Of course he would pick up on it, and in some way maybe she had wanted him to. Even if that was the truth, she still ignored his questioning glance, and gently smoothed strips of tape over the bandage.

"Say it Chloe." He could see her frowning, even with her head tilted down and her blond hair hanging around her face. Her lids lifted and green eyes met his. He knew from the frown on her face when he walked in, stomach bleeding, that she wasn't happy.

"Second time this week Oliver." Her eyes looked at his shoulder of their own accord, noticing the darkening bruise.

"Well it happens."

"And last week?" She paused from pressing the tape against his skin and looked up at him knowingly.

"You of all people know how this goes. So what's the big deal now? Weren't you the one who brought be back to do exactly what I'm doing?" She pursed her lips together and slid her palm over his abdomen, his stomach twitching as she passed a little too low for comfort, she didn't even seem to notice. "Well?"

"Nothing, never mind." She dropped the tape to the floor and moved to stand, only to be held in place by his hand on her wrist. She started to pull away, but he sat up, face much closer to hers then it had been moments ago. "I said don't worry about it."

"Then why do you look upset?" He could see her jaw clenching making him slightly unsure if she was going to reach back and slap him.

"I said let it go." She pulled her wrist from him, and when he didn't release it she narrowed her eyes and tugged sharply. Finally, free from his grasp, she stood up and moved away from him. "Leave your vest; I'll get rid of it."

He glanced over to the ripped green leather vest, recalling how when he entered, holding his stomach, she had moved into action, unzipping it and ordering him into the bathroom. When he could he took care of his own wounds, except that night. He'd only been a couple of minutes away, and her place had been the closest. Even if he hadn't gone to her she would have known. The problem was, she was Watchtower, and she knew everything that went on. And not only that, she was observant, any wince or cringe she knew right away that he was hurt. It was impossible for him to hide anything from her. "We're not done." He padded across the floor, cursing the coldness of the watchtower floor. She'd pushed him into the bathroom earlier, telling him to take a shower, and tossing him a pair of pants. As ridiculous as it had sounded when she told him to keep clothes there it had turned out to be a good idea in the end. He'd wound up at her place after patrolling or a mission more times than he could count. Sometimes it was easier to change into normal clothes then to try and venture out as the Green Arrow again.

"Yes we are." Chloe clicked away at her keyboard, powering down everything for the night, determined to go to bed even if it was just to make him leave.

"Chloe."

She could tell from his voice that he was directly behind her, but she wouldn't turn, wouldn't even acknowledge him. It was useless, because she knew how determined he was, he wouldn't just leave it at that.

She was standing stick strait, his first clue that she was annoyed. If he was any less of a man he probably would have left. But he wasn't. Grabbing her arm, ready to face her fury, he spun her around. "What is going on?"

"I know you're not modest, but could he at least put on a shirt." She moved to side step him, praying he would finally get the idea and let her go. But as she moved away, he pulled her back in front of him, holding her arm firmly.

"I'd like to know what happened that you're all of a sudden giving me the silent treatment."

"Oliver, when I'm giving you the silent treatment you'll be the first to know." She pulled on her arm sharply, hoping to dislodge it, but it was useless. Placing her free hand against his chest she pushed, knowing that she was no match for him, but hoping that he would realize that she was in no mood to be man handled. He grabbed her wrists though, holding it against his chest. All her earlier concerns were forgotten, and replaced with anger. What right did he have to hold her? "If I don't want to talk, I don't have to talk. Now let me go."

"What's go your panties all in a bunch?" She yanked her wrist from him, no doubt in an attempt to slap him, but if he wasn't going to let her go before, he definitely wasn't going to now.

"You're an asshole." He raised his eyebrows at her response, but didn't seem that phased by it. "God damn it Oliver let me go!"

"Not until you tell me what the hell is going on."

She broke, either because she was too tired to fight him, or to angry to care. "You! Lately you've been running around with no care for your own safety. Getting hurt left and right. And don't tell me that I should understand that, because I do. What I don't understand is this total disregard for your safety."

"Well shit happens Chloe. And like you said, you know that. I'm not purposely going out and getting my ass kicked, which you know also."

"Fine, whatever. Well, that's my answer. So you wanted to know, there it is. Now let me go."

"Let you go like this?"

"What are you going to do? Hold me hostage until I calm down?" They glared at one another, a silent battle of wills.

"I'm trying to figure out what it is you want me to do?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Get yourself killed. That's what you're good at." She felt his hands tighten around her and she knew it was a low blow, but she was passed caring.

"Why Chloe I didn't know you knew how to show emotion." She inhaled sharply, looking as if she had been struck. The unreasonable, angry part of him felt a little pleased with himself for hurting her more then she'd hurt him. But that was only a small part, most of all he hated himself. But when he saw the tears in her eyes he felt no pleasure. He had deserved her angry words; after all, he was the one holding her and not allowing her to leave.

"You're going to get yourself killed! And then what about me! I can't do this by myself!" She shuddered, hating herself for the tears that fell down her cheeks, and wishing she could wipe them away, but he still wouldn't release her. "I mean don't you think I care about what happens to you? Don't you know how much it would hurt if you were gone?"

He tried to swallow, but he couldn't make it past the lump in his throat. Her watery green eyes peered up at him, looking so lost and so vulnerable. "Chloe, I…" He released her slowly, already feeling guilty for holding her hostage, forcing her to voice something that she obviously hadn't wanted to. She took advantage of it, pulling away from him, and hurried past him.

She only made it a couple of steps when his hand was on her arm, pulling her back around. "Oliver, please." She begged.

He stepped closer, closing the distance between them, and brought a hand up to her cheek, brushing his thumb over it, wiping away her tears. "I'm sorry." She looked up at him looking more innocent then he could ever remember. Then she lowered them, bowing her head before him.

"Oliver, please just let me go." His hand slid underneath her chin, forcing her to look up at him again. She barely had a moment to register what was happening before his lips were on hers. She whimpered as he sucked on her bottom lip gently, and then just as quickly as the kiss had begun, he was pulling away again, leaving only inches between them. Her eyes remained on his, watching as he seemed to be searching her for something, and then he released her arm and buried his hands in the hair at the back of her head, pulling her to him again.

She didn't fight him anymore. Instead she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling her body flush against his own. He moved one arm to surround her waist, hugging her body to his own, forcing her to arch against him. But she was impossibly small, and he found it almost frustrating to kiss her. He leaned over her body, hooked his hands around the back of her thighs, and lifted her off the ground. For a moment he'd feared this drastic move might scare her, but she clung tighter to his neck, wrapping her legs around his waist. In a couple of steps he bumped into one of her desks, and settled her on top of it. He pulled away from her lips though, cradling her face in both hands. She slowly opened her eyes in reponse and met his own. "Chloe, if I would have known…"

"You would still go out there and get hurt." He frowned and pressed his forehead against her own. He knew it was true; there was no way he could have denied it to her. "But it's been harder, watching you get hurt. I can handle it, but if you would just try…"

"I'll be fine." He pressed a kiss against her lips, and pulled away again. "If you're here with me I'll be fine."

"I would never leave. I'll always be there in your ear and patching you back up." She'd brought him back; it would have been unfair of her to ditch him now.

"You swear?" She smiled up at him, eyes pooling with tears again. It made his chest tighten to see what he saw in her eyes. He didn't have to ask, because he already knew the answer. She'd always been there, behind him, holding him up, pushing him on. Oliver already knew that there was nothing she wouldn't do for him and that she would be there for him through thick and thin. He'd been at the bottom, and she went down that far just to pull him back up.

"Oliver," Chloe brought a hand to his cheek, cradling it in her palm. "There's no place I would rather be."


End file.
